


The Worst Kept Secret Of Them All

by MusicPlotter



Series: Whumptober 2019 [4]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Don't copy to another site, Magic Reveal, Merlin needs to learn to trust Arthur more seriously, No.4 Human Shield, Whumptober 2019, whumptober2019
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-04
Updated: 2019-10-04
Packaged: 2020-11-23 19:29:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,416
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20894921
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MusicPlotter/pseuds/MusicPlotter
Summary: Merlin and Arthur are ambushed, there seems to be no hope of escaping… until Merlin decides he’s had enough.





	The Worst Kept Secret Of Them All

Attacking the king was by no means a new idea, over the years many had tried and failed, each swearing that they were better than the last, that they were going to be the one to get in that fatal blow.

This was especially annoying for Merlin, who had to try and save Arthur’s backside without him realising what Merlin was doing.

Of course, some people got closer than others - they did their research properly, discovering Arthur’s daily routine.

Today was one of those days; Merlin and Arthur had been ambushed after coming back early from a hunt with the knights. At first, they didn’t have a chance, with Arthur slicing and dicing everyone who dared to step near them, but even the king wasn’t able to hold out against so many attackers at once. Merlin tried to help, tripping over the odd swordsman with his magic, but feared being too obvious with just himself and Arthur present.

He gets grabbed from behind just as Arthur manages to kill the last few people around him, the others having fled after seeing that the tales of the king’s skills with a sword were more than true.

“Let him go, he is simply a servant, he can do you no harm.” Arthur tried to negotiate, although the bandit wasn’t having it and started moving backwards slowly.

_ No harm! If only Arthur wasn’t here I would be able to escape easily. _

“No can do, you see, we’ve had reports saying that you care rather a lot for this  _ servant,  _ in fact, I bet if he was harmed you’d have to stay and take care of his wound instead of chasing his attacker.”

“I am his king, just as I am yours, I care for all my subjects.”

“Not as much as this one. You won’t even attack me in case you hurt him, will you?”

Merlin interjected, getting tired of the talk about him as if he wasn’t even there. “Just go Arthur, it’s fine. This pigheaded moron will probably trip on his own feet if he tried to escape with me.” 

As soon as Arthur left, he could just blast the idiot away from him and then make up some story about his clever escape - maybe he’d finally manage to impress Arthur.

“How dare you, you little brat! Talking to your superiors that way!” The sword held at his neck was pushed against the skin, leaving a thin line of blood trailing down his throat.

“Let him go this instant! I’ll give you anything you want, gold, power, fame? Just let him go!” Arthur seemed genuinely worried now, finally believing that the man would actually kill Merlin just to be able to escape without being followed.

“No, I don’t think I will. Actually, I’ll kill him. He deserves it anyway, for talking to me like that.”

The sword was pulled away from Merlin’s neck and held pointing towards his stomach instead. Time seemed to stop as Arthur lunged forward, still too far away to stop him in time. Thoughts raced through Merlin’s head - he couldn’t die, Arthur needed him to create Albion? But what good would he be if Arthur hated him for hiding and using magic? No, he decided, at least he’d still be able to help Arthur from the background, even if Arthur’s hatred was death all of its own.

No, if he was going to die, he was going to do it in some quiet, unobtrusive way that not even Arthur could find a way to blame himself for.

He reaches inside himself, finding his magic there as it always is and brings it up and out behind him, forcing his would-be murderer away. As the sword flew with him, it caught his cheek, leaving behind a small cut that dripped blood down his face. Distantly, he heard the sound of someone running away, likely realising he had no idea what he was really dealing with.

Focusing on Arthur’s face, he saw flickers of shock, realisation and finally acceptance - but what surprised him was the lack of betrayal. He had known Arthur for years now and had grown to be able to read him well, there was little that Arthur was capable of hiding from him.

Tensing as his king stepped forward, Merlin stayed where he was, not wanting to believe that Arthur would ever hurt him. He closed his eyes, awaiting Arthur’s decision, not wanting to look Arthur in the eyes if he was going to try and kill him - his magic would save him, so he would still be able to work in the background. But if killing Merlin made the betrayal hurt less, then Merlin would gladly let him try.

Instead of being stabbed, however, Merlin startled when he felt a calloused hand on his cheek, where he had been cut.

“You’re bleeding.”

“...What?”

“I said you’re bleeding, your neck is too.”

“Umm, sorry?”

“As elegant as ever I see. Come on, let's get you to Gaius.”

“Just wait a moment! Aren’t you going to kill me?”

Arthur raised one eyebrow and crossed his arms, looking every inch of the sarcastic king he was.

“Do you want me to kill you?”

“Well, not particularly, no. But - “

“Then shut up and start walking.”

Merlin was beyond confused. As glad as he was that it seemed that Arthur was going to pretend that it had never happened, he had to make sure Arthur knew what he was doing.

“I just did magic! Magic, Arthur! You know, the thing that is outlawed in Camelot, the thing that you believe has stolen your entire family from you. You should have me executed here and now for betraying you like this. Even if I only ever used my magic for you, only to make sure that you survived so that you could create a better kingdom. I’m sorry Arthur, but I needed you alive, I’m not sure I’d be able to survive without you. I didn’t even learn it, I was born with this Arthur, born with it! But I’ve chosen to use it for you, I went behind your back and used the one thing you hate above all else to save your life - so why are you trying to ignore that?” 

He stood there panting, still refusing to look Arthur in the eyes but relieved to have said what he had needed to say for years. _ Now I’ve done it,  _ he thought,  _ I’ve gone and convinced him to kill me. _

“Are you done?” Arthur didn’t wait for a response but sighed deeply before continuing, “Good. Look, Merlin, I’ve had suspicions about your powers for years now, I was just waiting for the right time to ask you. I understand why you wouldn’t tell me, with me being the king of a magicless land, it only shows that I need to prove myself to you. I am truly grateful for all you have done for Camelot, even if you do have magic. Today was a shock, yes, but it has proven to me that magic is not evil, that it is up to the person wielding it to choose how they use it. This doesn’t, however, make you any less useless of a servant, so let’s get back so that you can polish my armour.”

“There is so much that you should -”

“Walk, Merlin, if I need to know something then you can tell me another day.”

“Yes, sire.” 

And with that they began the long trek home, a massive grin forming on Merlin’s face as he contemplated all that had happened. Maybe attacks on the king weren’t so bad after all.

Days later, when the attack was far from either of their minds and the word magic hadn’t even come up in any of their conversations, Arthur walked in on Merlin polishing his armour, his boots and preparing his bath all at once. As the door shut behind him, making a loud noise, everything dropped to the ground where it had been hovering in the air with magic.

“I do believe you said you use your powers just for me?” Merlin’s startled face soon turned giddy, strangely overwhelmed with joy that this was something they were joking about.

“Do you want polished boots or not?”

In mock anger, Arthur picked up one of the said boots and threw it at Merlin, who tried to dodge but tripped up in the process.

“Ah, I see magic has no effect on your clumsiness. Some things never change.”

**Author's Note:**

> Not a big fan of this one but let me know what you think.
> 
> Once again, a massive thanks to Whumptober2019 on Tumblr and all those affiliated :D


End file.
